On any given day, it’s stocked with 20 different selections from a rotating repertoire, but Duc is always testing, tasting and improving, figuring out not only which items sell, but also which work well in our dry climate.
Well, I can tell you what works well without a moment’s hesitation: anything categorized as “glass dessert.” These are dreamy parfait-like confections, layered with variously flavored pastry creams and topped with jaunty garnishes. I’ve tried three selections in this category and loved them all: the first, a triple-chocolate mousse capped with whipped cream, cake-like crumbles and chocolate sticks; the second, a traditional Mont Blanc composed of chestnut purée and Chantilly cream, piled atop a meringue base, spiked with Baileys and garnished with a candied, gold leaf-accented chestnut (wow!); and the third, a creamy Irish Crumble, layered with sweet biscuit, chocolate, milk chocolate cream, Baileys cream and milk chocolate whipped cream. Oh. My. God. And for $4.50 no less.
Like the Mont Blanc (whose creamy top is meant to emulate the snowy peaks of that famous mountain), the classic Paris-Brest was invented more than a hundred years ago. Named for a bicycle race between Paris and Brest in 1891, this elegant-looking pastry begins with pâte á choux (the batter-like dough used for airy éclairs and cream puffs), which is shaped into a ring and sprinkled with sliced almonds. After baking, the “wheel” is split and filled with praline-flavored pastry cream, or, in this case, pistachio cream studded with tart Italian cherries. And the price for this delicious bit of French history is just five bucks.